Hat nesting means



July 19, 1955 L. P. SCMMERHAUSER HAT NESTiNG MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y 5 J 11 y INVENTOR. [02/26 1. Jai242e/%0z/:a/

BY Z; MM 147 701? L. P. SOMMERHAUSER July 19, 1955 HAT NESTING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 9, 1953 INVENTOR. dlozlza 1. Ja/zizzzezfiaz/sex' United States Patent HAT NESTING MEANS Louis P. Sommerhauser, Sioux Falls, S. Dak.

Application November 9, 1953, Serial No. 391,100

4 Claims. (Cl. 206-9) This invention relates to hat nesting means.

The invention is more particularly concerned with the nesting or stacking of hats in vertical tiers and wherein the top crown portion of each hat, except for the uppermost one, is received within the crown of a superposed hat.

It has for some time been the practice among merchants throughout the country to stack or nest hats for the conservation of space on their shelves. While such nesting practice has to a large degree solved the space problem, it did, however, present a hazard if the hats were not properly separated for the protection of both i the brim and the crown which are easily damaged by contact, particularly, the finer felt hats.

A solution of the above noted hazard has heretofore been attempted in the provision of a plain plastic ring which was inserted between the opposed outer and inner crown surfaces of nested hats with an object in view of separating the hats. Such object was attained, but mere separation of the crown portions of nested hats is in sufficient to otter full protection thereto.

It is accordingly a primary object of this invention to provide novel means removably engageable with the outer crown surfaces of hats and which provide for the complete separation of hats when in nested relation whereby no hat is damaged from contact with another.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel hat nesting means comprising the plastic ring or band as heretofore used together with a plurality of vertically adjustable hat brim supports which are removably engaged with the plastic band for circumferential shifting therealong.

A still further object of the invention is to provide hat nesting means of relatively simple construction and which are durable and etficient in use and are capable of manufacture at relatively low cost.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the course of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein- Fig. l is an edge elevational view of one of the im- I proved hat supports which are adapted for use with a plastic band as indicated in Figs. and 6.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the outer side of one of the supports.

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the inner side of one of the supports.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view as observed in the plane of line 44 on Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the complete nesting means comprising a split plastic band and four supports slidably disposed thereon.

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view of corresponding portions of a pair of nested hats and showing the application of the invention thereto.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the nesting 2,713,417 Patented July 19, 1955 means comprises a split plastic band 10, which is of substantial width and which preferably embodies opposite.

tion 13 and a unitary hat supporting and protecting member 14 which is vertically adjustably supported by the body portion 13. The body portion 13 includes an outer wall 15 and inner flaps 16 which with the outer wall 15 provide a vertical channel 17 in which the member 14 is slidably disposed.

The body portion 13 further includes upper and lower hook members 18 and 19 which receive the opposite beaded edges of the band 10 and such hook members project outwardly from the wall 15.

The body portion 13 further includes an inwardly inclined tongue 20 depending from its lower end.

The lower end portion of each member 14 is provided with a vertically elongated slot 21 opening through its lower end and a button 22 is rigidly secured to the inner surface of wall 15 and includes a friction head 23 disposed between the said wall 15 and the member 14 and a guiding shank 24 projecting into the slot 21.

The member 14 is provided with a hat brim supporting platform 25.

The application of the improved nesting means, as above described, is indicated in Fig. 7 as applied to a pair of nested hats H, H The hats are shown as of general form and including crowns C, C brims B, B outer bands b, b and sweat bands S, S

The improved nesting means as above described, is shown on each hat H, H and it is to be particularly observed that the inwardly inclined tongues have their lower edges in contact with the hat at substantially the juncture of the crown and brim whereby the body portions 13 are disposed out of contact with the outer hat bands b, b and since the plastic bands 10 are supported within the hooks 18 and 19 they are positively held out of contact with the hats while still serving their function of retaining the supports in operative position.

While the uppermost support is shown with "the member 14 in vertical position, such member is substantially flexible and when, as shown, the hat H is superposed on hat H with the crown of the latter within the crown of the former, the member 14 will readily flex as shown and will have its upper end portion disposed between the crown C of hat H and the sweat band S of the hat H while the brim of hat H will rest on the platform of the lower nesting means.

By means of the members 14 the sweat bands of superposed hats are positively kept out of contact with the crowns of adjacent nested hats and the only points of contact of the nesting means with the hats are the relatively thin edges of the lower ends of the tongues 20 and limited portions of the members 14 which, as shown in Fig. 7, engage the hat crowns and since there are only four supports there is not sufficient contact to damage the hats.

As indicated in Fig. 5, the four supports are disposed in generally uniformly spaced relation about the band 10 but since the supports are capable of being readily slid along the band, their positions may be readily adjusted to suit any particular circumstances.

While I have disclosed my invention in accordance with a single specific structural embodiment thereof, such is to be considered as illustrative only, and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being defined in the sub-joined claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by U. S. Letters Patentis:

1. Hat nesting means comprising a hat crown encir cling band, a plurality of bat supports carried by the band, each of said supports comprising a unitary body portion including a hat brim engageable tongue and a hat crown engageable flexible member vertically adjustably supported by said body portion, for disposition between the crown and the sweat band of a superposed hat,

2. The structure according to claim 1, wherein said body portion is provided with a vertical channel, said flexible member being vertically slidably disposed in said channel, and friction means supported by said body portion and engageable with said flexible member for retaining same in any vertical adjusted position relative to said body portion. I

3. The structure according to claim 1, wherein said body portion is provided with vertically opposed hook members in which opposite edges of said band are received.

4. The structure according to claim 1, wherein said flexible member is provided with a hat brim engageable platform.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,631,721 Sommerhauser Mar. 17, 1953 

